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The Man Who Sued God
 cast: Billy Connolly, Judy Davis, Colin Friels, Wendy Hughes, and Billie Brown

director: Mark Joffe

96 minutes (15) 2001 Universal VHS rental

RATING: 5/10
 reviewed by Mike Philbin
Billy Connolly has had a love affair with Australia and his stage shows have played there for many years. It was no surprise then that some producer would catch him backstage and promise him this starring role alongside (the really skinny looking) Judy Davis.
   Steve Myers (Connolly) got fed up being a lawyer and became a fisherman. He's not a very good fisherman but he's a happy fisherman. Until a bolt of lightning strikes and destroys his boat, and the insurance firm refuse to pay up for that one thing in your life for which you've regularly paid your premiums. "Act of God" - that's the get-out clause that insurers use as an excuse for not paying when Myers' boat is struck by lightning. Myers decides re-don his lawyerly robe and takes God to court. He gets all over the news, of course. Newspaper journalist Anna Redmon (played by Davis) takes a shine to Steve's cause and soon the dynamic duo are concocting all sorts of surreal counter-arguments to the defence's case of 'Act of God'.
   If you want Billy Connolly in your film it's for two reasons, his northern grit or his grimy wit - but this film fails to allow Billy to use either. The Man Who Sued God is an implausible courtroom drama and a wishy-washy comedy. At times, you can see Connolly wincing over the lines he is asked to deliver (written by John Clarke and Don Watson). If you like simple stories and charming relationships, you'll find this film quite delightful. But, if you really like Billy Connolly, go out and rent one of his live onstage DVDs. You'll have more fun.
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